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Ckua v« / vv/air force.FIDO HAS HONK TO WARBy EDWARD CULLOM(in Pathfinder)Like many other innovations in modern warfare, the use of trained dogs seems to have started with the Germans. In the first World War both the Germans and the French used them extensively. A start was made to train them in the United States, but the only one to work with American troops on the field were borrowed.When the Germans started preparing for the present war, they also began training dogs for it, and the number they had read\ has been estimated from 100,000 to 200,000. They were also reported to have contributed 50.000 to the Japanese, after Pearl Harbor, and those dogs are believed to be largely responsible for the astonishing success of the sponsible for some successes of tin Japanese in jungle fighting against the British and Dutch. Neither Americans nor British had any dogs in training, but the Russians hadthem ready when needed- -100,000 of them.Along the Atlantic coast (where German saboteurs have slipped ashore) there go patrols every night consisting of two CoastGuardsmen and one German shepherd dog.The dog, in the dark, can detect the presence of a stranger 200 yards away, and with a low growl and rising hackles he warns his handlers end shows them where to find the intruder. One man and one dog are said to be equivalent to seven men without a dog in this shore duty. The German shepherd appears to be favored for this work, and there are said to be 5,000 of them now helping to guard the vital shore line of Hawaii.In London, after the German bombs had left smoking ruins of homes, little terriers would plunge into the debris and never give up the search until the last victim had been found. In the Libyan desert after a day’s bloody bat tie had left the terrain strewn with dead and wounded, these little four-legged workers would come into the field wearing glowinglied Cross blankets and bringing packs ofmedical supplies- -first aid- for sulierers. Atother times they act as messengers, carrying dispatches, or take roll- of wire on thou hacks for stringing communication lines.Out in Montana, at Camp Rimini. Medge dogs are being trained. Experienced dog teamsters are giving lessons in transportation ovei snow to both drivers and their teams mala-mutes, huskies and .St, Bernards. Such teams are now in Alaska hauling food and equipment to soldiers who can be reached by noother form of transportation.Dogs guard ports, forts, motor bases,quartermaster depots, war plants and parked curs. They scout off leash; they trail spies or saboteurs; they attack fiercely when so ordered, and they guard prisoners w’hile the captors seeks aid or a conveyance. They swim streams; they detect the camouflaged enemy; they are not afraid of gunshots andexplosions; and they never cower r run for cover. They run low to the ground and maKc a difficult target, especially the smaller ones,and they never accept food from anybody buttheir masters.There are only a few thousands of thesecmine troopers working with the American forces today, but the goal has been set at 125,000 if needed; they arc coming in satisfactorily. They are being trained at Armyposts in V irginia, Nebraska. Montana, * ali-fornia and Hawaii. When they “graduate they are enrolled in tiie K-‘J f ornmand.What sort of dogs are used? Well, aboutevery kind except mongrels, lo be trained, they* need to be pure-bred or cross-bred* so as to have definite characteristics Only big ones like Great Danes, German shepherds oi English bulls are good for patrol. I hey a m • big enough to handle their man il they eaten him. M’he Marine Corps in training at New River, N. C., favor for exclusive use the lanky Doberman Pinschers, of which they have L0.The Doberman fanciers claim he has the record as the outstanding dog for war use.But admirers of the Airdale point out that the Germans call this dog Krlegshund war dog—because of his war record. The truth is that the many services the K-U Corps is called upon to render, demand many kinds of special talents. It takes little fellows to get around on battlefields without being too conspicuous; terriers especially have been found us* ful forguard duty inside warehouse« and factoriesSpaniels and labradors are needed for thlt; r swimming ability, and there is also a demand! sonact I ha pOn\ loalt;sho j hadt hat! onl1 kn*thaeqcMafor keen-scented hunting dogsBesides the dogs mentioned, there are also at the five official training stations: Boxers,retrievers, elkhounds, Kerry blues, collies, schnauzers, French poodles (they are especial ly clever, even clownish) and black-and-white Dalmatians, commonly called coach dogs, which must serve behind the lines because of being too easily seen. In fact, there seem to he a placo for about every breed except the dachshund and the Mexican hairless. But the physical qualifications are more rigid. An acceptable dog must be between one and five years old and stand 18 inches high or more atthe shoulder.Where do the dogs in the K-9 Command come from? From the homes of citizens, for the most part. The Army docs not go out and buy up the dogs it needs, as in the case of horses and mules. These service dogs are treated much more like the soldiers with whom they work so closely. They are formally enlisted, and when they come back fromthe wars they will be sent back to the homesfrom which they came.The Army’s procurement agency for dogs is a civilian organization named Dogs for Do fense, created largely through the efforts of Mrs. Milton Erlanger, a native New Yorker. She tried vainly to set up a dog service in the Signal Corps in the last war, to rival and complement the use of carrier pigeons. In this war she started earlier, got the support of Quartermaster General Edmund B. Gregory, and with another dog fancier, IL I ( aesar, organized Dog.s for Defense, through which patriotic citizens donate the services of theirto the Armv. The popular response has been generous, and nine out of 10 dogs offei ed have been found acceptable, in spite of tin* rather rigid requirements that they must histrong, healthy, fearless and not gun-shj..Dogs once accepted in the K-9 ( ornmand get the best care. They have passed a physical examination, and now they are innocu la ted. Each is issued a collar and leash and identification card,” which consists of! sae i evt! pln 1| pilig»kiti POJ i ortI painI OVlt;tyWwmi pi;“7antattoo marks on the left ear. Every day the dog is thoroughly groomed dog-hand lets, likecavalrymen, must take care of their charges before themselves and his kennel is kept clean. His feeding is carefully supervised(yes, a bone is part of his ration), and more than 200 veterinarians watch over the health of this varticular command. Few dogs incivilianiflt; get. such expert attention.The recruits are given four weeks of basic training. They are taught to heel, -it lie down, stay in position, drop, scale a wad. They are car-broken, conditioned to firing, and taught not to fight each other -to practically ignore the presence of other dogs, which i- a real triumph over dog nature. After thebasic, there comes a four-weeks’ course ofspecial training in wrhich each dog is taught his own particular job. home take up sentry duty, or watching; some go in for trial andattack, others to carry messages or pigeonsor packs, lav wire, and scout over difficult lerrian. A first-aid dog can find a wounded soldier in the dark. An airplane-spotter ran bark a warning of an approaching plane before his trainer hears a sound. In jungle fighting the dog sees, hears and smeils keenly m detecting snipers, machine?; lt;n nests, umouflaged enemies.Dogs, the few that couki be furni.dnd m(Continued top next column)sotoTi thJ aA ioninoudiTlLhre r ■ urluRHnlt;fiP'gdlt;o!irkfitiafiIxii:tlIK! tC| B11Iiiil!I Ii iI I
Newspaper Details
Cameron Herald
Cameron, Texas, US
Thu, Sep 09, 1943
Page 15
Full Page
Clipped by
Nancy L.
NM, USA 20 Jan 2020
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Cameron Herald
